Paying for his Sins
by Disintegrating Vortex
Summary: Can a human and a homunculus live together in harmony? Especially if they're both slowly losing it?Rated T for bizarreness. I promise the shounenai, but I phail.
1. Found

Hmm... no idea, really, of what inspired this... I guess I was just thinking again about the movie and what COULD have happened. Is this a movie spoiler? I'm not sure, 'cos this doesn't ever happen! This may (probably will) develop into a shounen-ai, tho nothing too intense... keep that in mind as you read the incredibly sexy descriptions of Wrath! (Also that I am a rabid fan, but who cares? xP)

WARNINGS: Blood! Yay! And... sadness. Death. Boo. Possibly some -ah- EdxWrath fluff junk. Yeh. (Even tho I may be the ONLY person in the whole world to support that pairing... -sweatdrop-) Please note: if this disturbs you, just think of it as friendship for now... I know I kept it that way in this chappie, at least!

DISCLAIMER: If I owned Wrath... hoo boy. Think "dressing up" and use your imagination... -wink- (His costume's pretty good as it is, tho... those short shorts... -mind falls in gutter for next half hour-)

Anyway! Enough babbling from me. God knows I do it often enough. To myself, my friends and family. I think it's high time I- -slap!- Thank you. Enjoy the story!

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"Paying for his Sins"

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The young alchemist ran forward, clapping his hands and thrusting them forward. An alchemic glow filled the area...

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Ed, strapped as he was in the rocket, couldn't help but feel fear... coupled with joy at finally being able to return again. He thought of Al, and Winry, and all the others he had missed for so long... the gate loomed large in his view. All at once he was between, struggling to pass into the gate of the other world, his home world. Ed couldn't help but shut his eyes at the intense images as he passed... it was a shame he had, though, for amongst the others was a pair of eyes he might have recognized...

The rocket burst through, out from the glowing circle in the underground city. Ed wrestled with the controls desperately, having no clear idea of how to work the thing. He swooped to the side- there, now he wouldn't crash into the ceiling. He had some idea that he should find a safe landing place or something, but the machine was moving so fast, the ground suddenly reared up-

---

Edward crawled from the wreckage of the rocket, thanking whatever fates there were that he had survived the rough landing. Dust filled the air. Coughing, he looked around for his brother- sure to be waiting eagerly for his return. Right?

He came to the edge of a clearing in his search, where a small figure was slumped off to the side. He approached at a run. The boy looked up.

"Wrath!" Ed shouted. "Where's Al?" It was his topmost priority. He must have done the opening of the gate, surely he had to be around somewhere-?

Wrath was in bad shape. Covered in blood, bruises and gashes, he managed to push himself up to answer the wild query.

"You won't... believe me," the boy began in a hoarse voice. His voice had deepened since Ed had gone, and now it was choked with pain. "But... I swear, he did it all for you." A sigh. "I told him to use me- he should have done it! He didn't listen..." Wrath finished with a jagged gasp.

"What... what are you talking about?" Ed demanded, trying to push back the horrified realizations, it couldn't be true, not after so long...

"Your brother... he sacrificed himself. Used himself to open the gate." Wrath's words fell heavily, like the tolling of funeral bells.

Edward screamed then, long and loud, not caring if he sounded sissy, all his grief and frustration pouring out to the false sky. He flopped to his knees in front of the homunculus, head bowed. Suddenly it snapped up again. A slight crazed look was in his eyes.

"You-" he focused on Wrath. "You've taken so much away from me! You took my limbs... my mother... now my brother!" He raised a hand to strike the kid, to make him feel some of the pain that seared his own soul. Wrath sank back to the stone floor, eyes half-lidded.

"Go ahead. Just do it. Yeah, I took it all away from you. Why don't you take it back?" He looked up at the frozen alchemist. "My life... in exchange for all my sins. Equivalency... you used to believe that." His eyes closed. Edward paused, uncertain. It would be so easy, wouldn't it? Wrath was lying on his side now, unmoving, hair spilling over his shoulders. _Just do it._ The kid looked as if one more good blow would finish him off, anyway... _But... I am not a killer._ Slowly Ed lowered his arm. Then, unsure of what told him do it, he bent over and gathered the fallen homunculus in his arms and began the long walk up to the surface again.

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(Uh-oh... I suck at writing Winry. Here goes bad writing...)

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Ed emerged from the rubble, a ghost of his former vibrant self. Winry spotted him and ran to greet her lifelong friend.

"Edward... you're back," she said with gladness in her voice. He merely nodded, his eyes tired. She noticed him shifting his burden.

"That's Wrath, isn't it? What happened down there? Where's Alphonse?" she inquired. All with good intentions, he knew, but he wanted no reminding of the horrible loss... she stared at him, concerned, as a dark expression clouded his face.

"Is... something wrong?" Winry asked, concerned.

"Just... tired." Ed staggered slightly against her. Relieving him of Wrath, she watched as he sank gratefully down to the hard stones under them.

-----

(Hm. Fun with Wrath time! )

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Of course, Wrath wasn't a child anymore after all these years. Still, Winry felt the obligation to take care of him, as she'd helped do before. After making sure Ed was sleeping peacefully in a bed of his own, she turned her attention to the weakened homunculus.

"You're filthy..." she murmured, dumping him on the bathroom floor before filling the tub with warm water and suds. Wrath was now awake and watching her. She turned off the tap and respectfully left him. A short while later-

"W-Winry-san?" he called out. She approached the closed door.

"Yes, Wrath?" she answered patiently.

"Could you come in here and wash my hair for me?"

She could imagine his embarrassment at having to ask that. Even though he'd grown up screwy, some things stay the same.

"Of course," she replied, tapping the door gently to alert him and pushing it open.

"Thank you," he muttered as she attacked the tangles with vigor, never crying out as huge clumps of hair came out from his head. After about half an hour the tiresome job was done. Wrath's hair combed straight and clean. Winry left the room to let him dress and smiled as he came out. In normal clothes, he almost looked like... well, a regular kid.

She passed the room Ed occupied and peeked in to check on him. To her surprise, he was awake and sitting up, although all he was doing was staring out of the window blankly. Deciding that whatever he was going to tell would come in its own time, she left him.

Wrath followed Winry through the hall, not knowing what else to do. He saw her peer through a crack in a door, then turn around. She saw him behind her and smiled, promising,

"Dinner will be soon. I'm on my way to make it." Then she walked past him, leaving him alone again. He didn't like being alone in strange places. So much time lately, it had seemed, he had spent in foreign places, for one or two nights, until they kicked him out and he had to move on. He was tired of moving...

Curiously, ignorant of common courtesy, he pushed open the door Winry had been looking past. Edward, sitting on the bed, turned to look at him. This nightmare from his past, coming back to haunt him once more, so boldly standing there- as if he had a right! This time, however, no anger came. Ed was surprised by that. Wrath continued to stare- a bit rudely. To break the silence, Ed spoke.

"Hey. I see you finally got your hair all sorted out."

"Yeah. Winry helped me." Was his voice normally so flat, or was it because he didn't want to talk to Edward? The older boy wondered. Maybe he could convince a conversation out of the strange boy, make him smile or laugh.

"Let me take a look at it, then."

Wrath stepped closer, and Ed hopped off the bed. He reached out his flesh hand and felt one of the locks falling in front of the boy's shoulders. His hair was still slightly damp, but soft. The ragged edges tickled his skin as the alchemist pulled his fingers through it. When it ran out, Ed patted the boy's head gently.

"You've got nice hair. Take care of it," Ed told him. Silence. Then:

"Thank you. I will." Wrath had remained rigidly still while Ed felt his hair. His eyes flickered up to Ed's friendly face while his mouth remained flat.

_What's wrong with him? Has he never had a friendly chat before?_ Edward wasn't even sure why he was being so amiable. He had every right to hate Wrath, after all. But... perhaps their fighting had brought them closer together. Or something like that. _Geez, my brain's getting cheesy all of a sudden._

Wrath noticed the older boy's thoughts wandering. He still didn't know what to think of Edward, even after all these years. He remembered shouting, "Give me your body!" He remembered hating Fullmetal with all his twisted heart. What had happened? Edward was acting like he didn't hate Wrath, either. Maybe that was a good thing.

"Hey." Ed interrupted the homunculus's own flow of thoughts. "I was wondering if you'd let me..." He had to pause briefly to gather himself. _Just say it, idiot!_ "Could I braid your hair?" he asked bluntly.

Wrath's eyes widened. "I... I guess," he muttered, shrugging as he turned and surrendered his hair to the alchemist.

"Don't be nervous. I have plenty of practice with this, believe me. But you remember when that was." Ed's attempt to make the other at ease failed. Wrath stiffened at the mention of his chaotic past.

"Yeah, I... remember."

Awkward silence. Ed pulled Wrath's hair back and finger-combed it. Then he divided it neatly into three sections and began twisting them together. Wrath watched in the mirror to his right, partly hypnotized by the rhythmic working of Ed's hands in his hair. At last Ed finished and stepped back to admire his handiwork, holding the end of the braid between his fingers.

"There ya go. Looks pretty good, if I do say so myself," he announced proudly. Wrath turned to face the mirror, examining his reflection closely. He then looked over at Ed, still patiently keeping the braid from unravelling.

"It's great! Do you have anything to tie it up with?" he asked shyly. Without hesitation Ed pulled the band from around his own ponytail and looped it securely around the black braid. Wrath looked back in the mirror, turning his head to see it at all angles. Edward was rewarded for his work to see the boy's face light up at his new appearance.

"Supper's ready!" Winry bellowed, her voice reaching them thankfully slightly muffled.

"Well." Ed patted Wrath on the shoulder and headed for the door. "Best not keep the woman waiting, eh?"

Wrath glanced behind him, reluctant to leave the mirror.

"Yeah," he agreed, at last following Ed out. As he approached the dining room, Edward heard a small voice say behind him,

"Hey, Edward?"

Ed turned. "Yes?"

"Thank you. Really."

Winry made no comment on their differing appearances as she served them.

------

Now WHAT, you might ask, does that have to do with "Paying for his Sins?" (Even if you DON'T ask it, I'm asking myself, so it works out anyway) Well... nothing, really, it's just that I couldn't think of a better name! Oh, yes. If I'm lucky, this won't be the end. I really don't want it to be! I just love the idea of Wrath and Ed together... -cough- Oh, yes, and sorry for that long elaborate "braiding" scene, it was an idea that I had that simply wouldn't go away! In fact, you might say it's the reason I began this. Hm. Maybe not. There's way too much angst in the first part to just culminate in a grooming session.

So. Wrappin' it up, yeah. Look for more. With probably more pain... just 'cos I like it like that. 8)

Review if you liked it, and wanna see more... or if you hated it, and want me to jump off a cliff!


	2. Recollections

...Aall righty, now... chapter two is up after a long time of stagnancy! (So sowwy... :c)

**YAY: **A big thanks to my spiffifab reviewers, especially Artemis12's phantom for giving me the necessary kick to complete my half-finished thingy... and heartlesstheif, for much support and love!

I think I forgot to mention is last chapter, but please forgive me if some of the details from the movie are incorrect! It's been a while since I saw it... like, 4 months... -sweatdrop- Anyway, more sadness an' all here! Some (hopefully) more action-y scenes, too... I think I skimped on that last time.

**DISCLAIMER**: The actual scene from the movie is a) way too long to attempt to write out in detail b) really, really confusing as to what's actually happening, c) not mine. This revised version, skewed up at the end to fit my plot, contains characters that are -gasp- not mine either! (I'm not confident enough to put in an OC yet. I don't really tend to like them...)

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After supper Wrath followed Winry and Edward out to the living room, not wanting to say what was on his mind. At last Winry asked him,

"Is anything the matter?"

As he usually did with humans, Wrath shrank back a little. But his eyes were fixed upon her as he murmured,  
"Kinda." A long pause. "Can I... uhh... talk to Winry alone?"

Ed took the hint. "I'll go take my shower now," he said as he left, slightly put off that Wrath didn't trust him enough to speak in front of him.

"Now." Winry prompted. "What was it you wanted to tell me?"

Wrath drew his legs up and hugged his knees.  
"It's about what happened to me and... Al," he said at last. Instantly Winry was alert.

"You're going to tell me...?"

"Everything." Pause. "Hang on. Where do I start?"

"With you and Al leaving unannounced early this morning."

"Okay." Wrath gathered his memories and started speaking.

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-Flashback- ('Cos that's better than having Wrath narrate it all!)

"It must be here somewhere. I can't be the only alchemist who's researching this stuff! There has to be a precedent..." The young alchemist banged his fist in frustration on the table covered in paper and books. Wrath stared at Al's handwritten notes. I know what you need, he thought, but didn't dare say it. The words would break the precarious balance between them.

"Anyway..." Al sighed, running a hand through his bangs. "I'm going down to the old city Ed wrote about tomorrow, just to see if another clue is there. So..." He glanced at the silent homunculus. Wrath nodded, confirming his addition to the expedition. Since meeting the resurrected boy, Wrath had scarcely spoken three words in his presence. Something prevented him- the echo of red coals behind a visor in Al's eyes, or perhaps his strange openness, not remembering a moment of being trapped in armor. How could he introduce himself? "Hi, I'm the homunculus Wrath, I tried to kill you and your brother a bunch of times." Instead he had simply followed Al around until his presence had become unremarkable.

The next day Wrath followed Al down the road, just a step or two behind and always silent. Down the steps, out into the monstrous cavern. Al gasped, seeing it for the first time. Wrath stood beside him as Al stared out at the multitude of buildings, all empty of a single soul.

"All these people... were killed to make one stone? That's absolutely horrible..." Al realized he had been thinking aloud and quickly shut up, noting the species of his present company. Wrath didn't care. _Yeah, I worked for the bitch that did this. I did some pretty horrible things, too. I'm a complete monster, you know_. The corner of his mouth twitched up slightly, skewing the otherwise blank features. Al missed this, having already moved on to reach the ground level of the city. Wrath didn't bother to run and catch up, returning to his old home at a leisurely pace.

It had been hours. Al had at last found the old alchemic array, still painted on the stones. He attempted to activate it, again and again, with no results.

"What's missing...?" he breathed, feeling the cold rock through gloved hands. "Why won't it open and let Nii-san through?" There had to be something he had missed. Something so fundamental, so obvious-- Al's eyes widened as he realized the long-looked for answer.

Feeling vaguely uneasy, Wrath paced around the alchemic circle. He didn't like returning here, not even after two years. A large crash startled the boys, making them whirl around. Something large and fleshy, with way too many appendages to be anything human, dropped down in front of them.

"Gluttony!" The word burst from Wrath's throat, rough and raw, betraying his fear. If the beast remembered-

"Gluttony- who's that?" Al asked, noting the homunculus's discomfort.

"He's a monster... like me," Wrath answered darkly, without disclosing more.

The creature lunged for forward, the pairs of eyes on its many limbs glistening with hunger. Wrath tensed, preparing to fight the monster off.

"Al... I'm going to distract him as best I can. When you get the chance, transmute bindings for him, okay? He's got enough in him... if we use him, it'll save one of us." Wrath spoke quickly, eyeing the approaching threat. Al was surprised at the words- did Wrath know of the payment required to open the gates? Al barely had time to agree to the plan when Gluttony reached Wrath. -CRACK!- Gluttony smashed the old stone floor, causing huge chunks to fly up dangerously. Al ducked, but Wrath was more unfortunate, being closer. A large chunk flew out and knocked the younger homunculus several feet to the side.

_Wrath was right about Gluttony being easily distracted_, Al thought as he watched the two fighting. Although fighting was not perhaps the best word. It seemed more like a cat-and-mouse game, Gluttony flinging Wrath against any hard surface available, while Wrath engaged him, running away or turning back to attack in a seemingly random fashion. His movements seemed to have a purpose, though, as he led Gluttony a safe distance away from the alchemist. Al remembered his task and looked for an opening to start a transmutation, but they were moving so fast in their deadly dance. He wanted to shout out to the other, to perhaps give instructions or encouragement, but he was utterly paralyzed. He watched numbly as Wrath was flung into the air high above.

Wrath's thoughts were ragged, confused. He wanted to focus solely on the fight, of the movements of his active body, but he kept catching glances of Al, standing, waiting for him to finish with Gluttony. _Sorry_, he thought with a mental wince, _I'm not doing my part very well, am I?_ He had to concentrate on strategy, on how best to incapacitate the fleshy monster. And all the while Gluttony was striking out at him, mouth stretched widely to capture Wrath as he desperately dodged. Still, it felt good. He wanted to fight, wanted some action to engage his wrath, kept hidden for so long. He ripped off one of the monsters "heads". It was harder with the auto-mail, but he felt he could cope. Back to dodge the sweep of monstrous teeth, then... Wrath glanced back again at Al. That's right- I've got to-  
WHAM! In his moment of distraction, Wrath had failed to notice the large, puffy hand swing towards him. He was whacked into the air as easily as a person might a doll. Mind racing, ideas forming, possibilities opening and closing endlessly-

Wrath landed on his feet, like the proverbial cat. He turned again towards Al and broke into a run, racing to the alchemic circle before a certain creature got to him... Gluttony howled his frustration at being denied a meal. He galloped after the small homunculus. Wrath reached the center of the array with moments to spare. While Al looked on, horrified, Wrath smashed his metal fist into the stone, shuddering as a wave of pain attacked him when the fragile auto-mail shattered. He managed to pull himself up. There, that's- not gonna be so bad. We can do this. Directly behind him, Gluttony roared in hungry anticipation. Wrath tried to stem the flow of fearful thoughts in his mind- Don't think about it, don't think about it, don't think about the pain, don't think about his teeth on your body, don't think about the future, it's too late now, just DO IT!

The homunculus's actions broke Al out of his trance. He watched as Wrath anchored himself to the floor, waiting for the monster to come for him. He stepped forward to help, but-

A sort of sickening crunch, then ominous silence. Wrath made a noise in his throat as blood gushed up from inside and spilled over his lips and chin. He was completely captured, Gluttony's large teeth clamped around his midsection. Al gasped, eyes wide at the horrible sight.

Even my death disgusts him... Wrath thought hazily through the red mist threatening to engulf him. He shook his head slightly, then spoke.  
"Transmute us..."

Al could feel his heart beating rapidly, in fear and empathy for a fellow creature. It didn't seem right, somehow, this sacrifice...

"I- I can't do that! We'll find some other way, and-"

"Why do you think I came here?" interrupted the sin hoarsely. "I know my time is up. For you, I'll do this. Help you open the gate. You must..."

"But- I can't!" Al said helplessly. "It's- not your sacrifice to make! If I want my brother back, I have to be the one who gives up something..." And he breathed in knowledge of what he was going to give up. Wrath protested.

"No! Don't do that-" his voice dropped. "Brother sacrificing for brother- I don't want to see such a thing! Please do it, just hurry up and do it..." He gasped as his organs were ground further, sending a fresh wave of agony stabbing through him. A clap echoed above him. Wrath smiled slightly, at last it would all be over...

-A/N: Nyuu! Don't die yet, my darling! You still have to be around to be all emo with Eddo... I can't let you go that easily... grabs and squeezes-

But when the brilliant light cleared, Wrath was still there, now freed from the monster's grasp. He opened his eyes to look at Al. The alchemist, having just transmuted Gluttony into a tangled mass of flesh, gave him a small smile. Wrath tried to get up to stop him, but was still weak. He watched, helplessly, as Al clapped his hands once more to activate his alchemic powers...

-End Flashback-

"...and that's what happened," Wrath finished with a mumble, burying his head in his knees to hide his tears. Winry, stunned at the narration, reached out to hug the traumatized kid. This time he didn't stiffen as usual, but allowed himself to cry into her shoulder.

Ed, in the hall eavesdropping, felt wetness on his cheeks. Before he could stop himself he made a strangled sort of noise and slid down the wall to the floor with a thud. In the room, Winry jumped up at the sound. She went over to Ed, comforting him through his grief.

"Shh, shh, don't be sad, he wouldn't have wanted that," she murmured, rubbing her old friend's back. Ed looked up.

"Now I- I'll never know what he wanted!" he burst out, frustrated and depressed. Winry had no words for that, and remained silent.

Wrath watched the two with wide eyes, now dry after crying. He didn't know how to talk to Ed. He couldn't have told him, anyway, wasn't it best he had found out like this? Human bonds. Always making and breaking. They seemed awfully important, yet he could still not understand them.

_I wanted someone to comfort me then, too_. _But you had just killed the only person in the world who could do that_. Was he bitter, now, seeing utter tragedy reflected on someone else? He had changed, though. He no longer felt joy at seeing other's pain. Empathy, that utterly human emotion, did he have it? Could he learn it?

Watching Edward greiving over his brother, Wrath felt sorry- true remorse, the guilt that comes from within- for the first time in his life outside the gate.

-----

Wow! So tell me what you think, please. New chapter will be up faster!


	3. Dreaming

O hay guyz.

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It was late. Wrath lay motionless on his bed, staring upwards. Earlier, he had done it. Told them how Al had sacrificed himself at the gate to get Ed through. Now he felt empty, drained of emotion once more.

_If only I could... stay caring long enough, then I might be human._ But it was always this way- burned out after a short period of intense feeling. His fingers twitched as he remembered the red stone, whose effects were strong enough to make him scream. Humans did not... need such things. He had to stop taking them, or risk losing his one chance entirely.

Wrath sat up in the darkness. There way no way he'd be able to sleep tonight, either. He padded down the hall, hoping to find a light on in another room. Once more he found himself in front of the door to Edward's room. He pushed it open slowly. Seeing that the alchemist had gone to bed, Wrath moved back to leave. But something caught his attention, something not quite right.

Ed shifted on the mattress, apparently fast asleep. His face was twisted up tightly, betraying the contents of his dream.

"No- don't!" he cried suddenly, arm stretching off the bed into empty space. Wrath approached cautiously, staring down in curiousity. What could Fullmetal be seeing, to be tortured so?

"Al, don't do it, I couldn't live without you!" Ed's hand reached out desperately, seeking that of his dead brother's. Wrath's expression tightened. Of course... it was about that. He stepped up to the bedside, grabbing the flailing hand securely.

"It's all right, nii-san, I'm here now," Wrath whispered softly. Ed turned his head, eyes still closed.

"I-is it? You're-" he murmured, in the confused depths of his dream.

"Yes. Everything will be fine now. Go back to sleep," Wrath answered, squeezing the hand in his grasp. Ed obeyed with a sigh, relaxing and becoming still. Wrath put his hand down and backed away hurriedly. He now felt incredibly dirty, hands and tongue alike. How could he have thought he had a right to- his own words of reassurance replayed themselves mockingly in his mind. Wrath stumbled out the door, back to the safety of his own room.

_I can't replace his beloved brother._

He sat still, trance-like, until the first rays of morning touched through the window.

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Nup. No excuse for this lamely short chappie. Only that I didn't think the next part would go well glommed on the end. And it's coming up in... a few days, most. Arigatou gozaimasu for reading. -bows-

**ZOMG DISCLAIMERISHUSSNISSSSSSS:** (-insert cleverly worded denial of ownership here-)


	4. Music

**BANG**! 'Tis I. Time for some new stuff! As you may or may not have noticed, my chapters now have names. Yay!

So... I got the first parts conceived and written with "Just Like You Imagined" (NIN)... but that song stopped working for me! Oh noes! After a sad bit of "where does it go from here?" I've pulled the story back together with the help of "Must Be Dreaming" (Frou Frou). A big, gigantic thanks to the people who put up awesome vids with those songs on YouTube! So enjoy!

**DiScLaImEr: **!tsimehclA latemlluF fo trap yna nwo t'nod I

**IMPORTANT**: Ed going back to work is not an important part of the plot! It's merely a device for lazy authoresses... xD

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That morning over breakfast Ed announced,

"I'm going back in to work today."

Winry looked up in surprise.

"Don't you think you should rest a bit more? I mean-"

"No. I've got to let them know I'm still alive. Flame and Hawkeye and the others- I owe them a lot," Ed said quietly.

Winry smiled understandingly.

"All right then. Just don't stay out too late," she warned. "I still have my wrenches..."

"Argh! Don't remind me!" Ed leaped up from the chair and grabbed his coat, calling over his shoulder as he left. "See ya!"

Winry watched the energetic alchemist go with a sigh. All she could ever do was wait for his return, it seemed. She began gathering up the dishes, lost in thought.

Wrath (A/N: who, just in case you'd forgotten, is the main character in this fic! I'm getting a Tenchi Muyo vibe here... -sweatdrop-) sat silently through their exchange, hair hanging in his face. He was relieved that Ed was leaving, and yet, somehow didn't want him to go...

Clattering from the kitchen alerted him. He got up and crept towards the doorway, shyly peeking around. The noises he had heard was Winry washing the dishes. He watched, entranced, as her voice rose over the splashing water. A myriad of notes cascaded over one another, climbing up and down and sideways, working to weave that beautiful tapestry of song. When it ended, Winry turned to look at the awestruck boy.

"Yes?" she asked. Put on the spot, Wrath shrank back slightly.

"Th- that's a really pretty song."

"I could teach it to you, if you like it so much," she offered.

"No, I- can't sing," he muttered, ducking his head and pulling away. Winry shrugged and went back to work, starting another verse. Back pressed up to one side of the doorway, Wrath listened intently. He didn't know music, hadn't ever heard someone sing before- even so, he could tell the song was perfect. He began to hum the melody softly under his breath, increasing volume with confidence. All at once his voice dipped, throwing a dark harmony on the sweet tune. And then there was room for nothing else in his head but the cosmic tangle of notes as his voice rose louder and louder to compete with WInry in the kitchen. One round after another- Wrath stopped abruptly as he realised there was no sound coming from the other room. _She must have heard me,_ he thought with a sinking feeling. He remained still, hardly even daring to breathe. He could just imagine Winry over the sink, paused and listening, waiting for him to continue. It was too much. He dashed for the back door, running from the house out towards the freedom of the grassy hills beyond. He slowed to a stop at a patch of of trees, wrapping his arms around one as he tried to calm down.

Sloth, the song had reminded him of her... but she was gone now. Gone, and the only thing left for him to hold was a gnarled old tree. That, somehow, seemed fitting. He pressed his cheek against the rough bark, eyes closed. Into his mind sprang an image of the Gate, terrible and forbidding; he stiffened against the tree, trying to reassure himself. _It's only a memory, you're perfectly safe, it can't reach you here..._ Nevertheless he was caught and pulled inside. The memories engulfed him, so realistic that he really _was_ there, almost. All knowledge and aspects of alchemy, society, history, humanity pressed on his consciousness. There was no way to stop it, no way to filter out the images flashing -click click click- like some sort of demented slideshow. The only method of coping was to go mad, to fill your head with enough blank space to block out the living hell of Truth. It was useful skill, he'd found, to be able to unhinge his mind and scream, loud enough to drown out all the suffering and fear. The screamings of a thousand dead souls had been his only music for over a decade.

The nightmare vision ended, and Wrath released the trunk shakily. He collapsed under the shade of the trees, spreading flesh and metal out until he was comfortable. The blades of grass tickled his skin, and he felt insects crawling over him. His eyelids sank closed, and he saw an image of himself from above. Body melted into the ground as plants grew over and around him. If he lay there long enough, that would become reality. He could feeling the warm pulse of the earth below, waiting to reclaim him...

"What are you doing here?"

The voice made Wrath lift his head and look up. He first noticed that the sun was already well past its zenith- had he been outside so long? His eyes turned on the person standing before him, familiar gold and red shape coming into view.

"I've just been thinking about about staying like this forever. I could, you know."

Ed dropped to the grass beside him.

"Well, yeah, but what would be the point? Wouldn't it get boring?" he asked reasonably.

"It might. But... it'd be worth it. Just to have someplace to be, somewhere to belong, for eternity..."

Ed was silent for a while. Wrath rested his head on the ground again. _There was nothing else to keep him here. He'd sink right in. And the earth kept spinning-_

A hand on his shoulder, the flesh one. He jerked away with a startled twitch, staring with darkened eyes at the alchemist.

"Don't touch me!" Wrath spat, old hatred and digust welling up inside him.

Ed shrugged it off and stood up. His utter nonchalance was offensive, somehow. Wrath scrambled to follow as he strode down the hill.

_Why is it that I'm always following you?_

* * *

Umm. Yup, that's it. Big fanfare. Woot.  
Short apology for abandoning this is in order, so I'll just say that I went back to school and learned to write properly, eh? I bet you can totally tell where I started up again. -.- 

And this chapter totally has no point. It's a set up, I think, but the climax isn't quite yet. Oh wellz.

Have a happy summer break, everyone. Peace out and keep your gambits about you.


End file.
